An unsettling wave of uncertainty hovers over ongoing negotiations between Cape Town taxis and the government about a possible end to the strike that has claimed lives, destroyed property and infrastructure, and displaced hundreds of thousands of commuters.
UPDATE 3: Following an eventful day of negotiations with the City of Cape Town, SANTACO has called off the taxi strike with immediate effect. At this juncture, taxi services are expected to return to normal operations from Friday, 11 August 2023.
UPDATE 2: On Wednesday, 9 August 2023, SANTACO released a statement confirming there will be no taxis in Cape Town on Thursday. The taxi association confirmed it will be approaching the courts for an interdict forcing the City of Cape Town to release all impounded minibuses. See the full statement below.
UPDATE: City of Cape Town MEC for Urban Mobility Rob Quintas, in an interview with Newzroom Afrika that aired moments after this article was published, confirmed that the provincial government has not held face-to-face meetings with SANTACO. According to Quintas, SANTACO has been offered an opportunity for in-person negotiation on Thursday, 10 August 2023, at 12:00, on the condition that taxis do not impede on the morning traffic. Watch the interview snippet below.
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Will Cape Town taxis return on Thursday, 10 August 2023?
On Wednesday, an unnerving calm returned to most parts of the Mother City. While spurts of violence broke out in areas like Delft and Kayamandi, Stellenbosch, where rioters torched a police station, Cape Town traffic was relatively easy flowing, with little-to-no incidents to report.
From what we understand, taxi bosses, the Western Cape government and the national ministry of transport have been locked in intense negotiations over a peaceful end to the strike.
At the centre of the impasse is the City’s refusal to release more than 6 000 impounded taxis, which, according to Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis, were lawfully confiscated in accordance with the National Land Transport Act.
However, in a development that gave taxi bosses an edge in negotiations, Transport Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga rubbished Hill-Lewis’s assertions and accused the City of Cape Town of overreach.
“The City of Cape Town has introduced conditions of operating licences, by-laws which the taxi industry has expressed reservations on. The Task Team that was established to address the concerns has not made headway, resulting in the city implementing the impounding of vehicles based on these conditions,” she said
With all parties refusing to find a compromise, and the prolonged impasse exacerbating the negative impact of the taxi strike on citizens’ lives, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba invited all parties to a prayer service at St George’s Cathedral, on Wednesday.
“I will offer prayers for the life of Officer Zanikhaya Kwinana, for all victims of the taxi violence this past weekend, and for a speedy end to the strike,” Hill-Lewis wrote on a Facebook post.
When this article was published, SANTACO chairperson Mandla Hermanus, speaking outside the cathedral, had informed reporters that negotiations taking place in Bellville would likely resume into the late evening.
At this juncture, however, Hermanus indicated that it remains unclear whether Cape Town taxis will return to operations on Thursday 10 August 2023, as initially planned.
“There is a meeting we are heading to at our offices that will be attended by the minister of transport. We will meet with her. Thereafter, we will meet as taxis and make a final determination on whether taxis will return tomorrow. Right now, there is no finality. It all depends on tonight’s talks,” Hermanus said
Quote translated from IsiXhosa
The short answer to the burning question, at this stage, is, no. As things stand, Cape Town taxis will not return on Thursday, 10 August 2023.
What’s worse, Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) confirmed, on Tuesday, 8 August 2023, that operations will, for the foreseeable future, be reduced to below 50%, with hotspot areas unserviced due to safety concerns.
Motorists have also been advised to avoid carpooling in areas flagged as unstable.
This article will be updated with more information as it trickles in.
